The Japanese new car market ended the year 2012 up 27.5 percent to 5,369,721 units. You may read other numbers elsewhere, but that’s because it is often overlooked that regular vehicles and mini vehicles are reported separately in Japan. At TTAC, we consolidate them as a service to our readers.

Japan ends the year without the big double-digit drop some prophesied for the last quarter after government incentives expired in September. The market is down slightly in December, and up strongly for the year.

Regular vehicle sales Japan December 2012

Manufacturer

Dec ’12

Dec ’11

YoY

YTD ’12

YTD ’11

YoY

Daihatsu

210

227

-7.5%

2,990

3,101

-3.6%

Hino

3,996

3,446

16.0%

42,463

34,238

24.0%

Honda

18,886

30,943

-39.0%

423,904

378,530

12.0%

Isuzu

5,405

4,294

25.9%

59,805

42,096

42.1%

Lexus

2,967

2,242

32.3%

43,657

42,365

3.0%

Mazda

9,291

9,216

0.8%

165,755

144,452

14.7%

Mitsubishi

3,508

3,446

1.8%

60,397

54,951

9.9%

Mitsubishi Fuso

2,885

2,584

11.6%

34,715

27,032

28.4%

Nissan

31,103

34,126

-8.9%

506,518

445,937

13.6%

Subaru

11,293

6,847

64.9%

108,071

73,806

46.4%

Suzuki

4,922

5,758

-14.5%

88,181

76,765

14.9%

Toyota

91,740

94,970

-3.4%

1,603,150

1,151,075

39.3%

UD Trucks

738

876

-15.8%

9,104

8,469

7.5%

Other

27,485

22,985

19.6%

241,564

206,257

17.1%

Total

214,429

221,960

-3.4%

3,390,274

2,689,074

26.1%

Data courtesy Japan Automobile Dealers Association

Sales of regular vehicles were down 3.4 percent in December and up 26.1 percent for the year, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association reports. Honda and Nissan were underperforming, Toyota outperformed the market.

Mini vehicle sales Japan December 2012

Manufacturer

Dec ’12

Dec ’11

YoY

YTD ’12

YTD ’11

YoY

Suzuki

35,386

37,901

-6.6%

584,957

476,138

22.9%

Daihatsu

41,486

47,351

-12.4%

674,181

545,178

23.7%

Mitsubishi

4,964

6,728

-26.2%

80,096

92,673

-13.6%

Subaru

2,884

8,606

-66.5%

69,651

84,895

-18.0%

Honda

25,912

10,516

146.4%

321,301

125,002

157.0%

Mazda

3,096

2,916

6.2%

52,606

45,473

15.7%

Nissan

7,943

11,034

-28.0%

153,337

145,433

5.4%

Toyota

2,402

2,188

9.8%

43,259

6,308

585.8%

Other

2

5

-60.0%

59

45

31.1%

Total

124,075

127,245

-2.5%

1,979,447

1,521,145

30.1%

Data courtesy Japan Mini Vehicles Association

Sales of mini vehicles fell in line with their bigger brothers after having been ahead for the previous months: Up 30.1 percent for the year, and down 2.5 percent for December, according to data provided by the Japan Mini Vehicles Association. Honda continues its attack of the mini vehicle market with its highly successful NBOX series.

Total vehicle sales Japan December 2012

Manufacturer

Dec ’12

Dec ’11

YoY

YTD ’12

YTD ’11

YoY

Daihatsu

41,696

47,578

-12.4%

677,171

548,279

23.5%

Hino

3,996

3,446

16.0%

42,463

34,238

24.0%

Honda

44,798

41,459

8.1%

745,205

503,532

48.0%

Isuzu

5,405

4,294

25.9%

59,805

42,096

42.1%

Lexus

2,967

2,242

32.3%

43,657

42,365

3.0%

Mazda

12,387

12,132

2.1%

218,361

189,925

15.0%

Mitsubishi

8,472

10,174

-16.7%

140,493

147,624

-4.8%

Mitsubishi Fuso

2,885

2,584

11.6%

34,715

27,032

28.4%

Nissan

39,046

45,160

-13.5%

659,855

591,370

11.6%

Subaru

14,177

15,453

-8.3%

177,722

158,701

12.0%

Suzuki

40,308

43,659

-7.7%

673,138

552,903

21.7%

Toyota

94,142

97,158

-3.1%

1,646,409

1,157,383

42.3%

UD Trucks

738

876

-15.8%

9,104

8,469

7.5%

Other

27,487

22,990

19.6%

241,623

206,302

17.1%

Total

338,504

349,205

-3.1%

5,369,721

4,210,219

27.5%

Consolidated, the Japanese market ends in much better shape than many predicted: Up 27.5 percent for the year, and only a slight 3.1 percent loss in December, compared to a subsidized previous year.

haha reminded me of foreign companies ads from 80s and 90s. we used to see lots of wrong/rough stereotype ads, just to let us feel ‘they do not understand us, we won’t buy\'(i.e Korean models, Chinese BGM etc..)